Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-30
reuling Theil own Nests.

Th ere is a phase of newspapering
which has been very fully illustrated
in Los Angeles, of late. 1t consists
in the interchange of daily comments
by able editors on the performances
of their neighbors. The flavor OF
these journalistic tributes OF affection
is characterized much more by the
coarse scent OF patchouli than by the
delicate fragrance of heliotroqe. 1t
il great question indeed as to
whether the public enjoys these
things any more than they do the
offensive emanations of musk with
which some people make themselves
beloved in public places.
There is, it is true, a low order OF
human beings who really like dis
plays of malice, envy and all un-
charitableness. 1t is just as bootless
to ask why this is so as it would be
to inquire why fox's tail is bushy.
Enough to say that this peculiar class
exists, and that it ought not to be
pandered to by those who are sup
posed to be, in a certain sense,
teachers in enlightened communities.
The old dramatists have fondness for
making their rival poets and authors
drop into intellectual and even phys
ical scrapping matches. LIE Sage in
his Gil Bias has several very amusing
episodes of this description, in which
the literati indulge for the entertain
ment OF the mobiles and pumpkins
who might happen to be around.
The whole thing can scarcely be said
to have been edifying, and it GER
tainly did not tend to ennoble men
who should have felt themselves TO
be far above the witlings who de-
rived enjoyment from such wretched
performances.
In these modern days the iHiterati
of the daily presto coin new and
appropriate word-seem to have bor-
rowed a lesson from the educated
and gifted men of old, who permitted
them selves to be made butts for peo-
pie who were in every sense their in
feriors, and through the agency of the
press they can make their degrada-
ton far more conspicuous and COM
plete. What an ennobling thing it is
to hear one able editor referring to
the "hog wash" of his contemporary,
and to know that that redoubtable
pundit will, the next morning, ex-
press the belief that the columns OF
his opponents paper, reeking with
"rot," resemble sewer struck
by lightning. The whole thing
is aggravated to the long suf-
fering reader by ready be-
lief that both the controversialists
are in the right. The number of
blackguards and ruffians who dis
grace the profession of journalism, if
the opinions OF the parties in interest
are accepted as the standard OF judg-
ment, is lamentably large. To dis
cover q gentleman here and there
amongst the tribe would appear to
the average newspaper reader an
operation as difficult as hunting for a
needle in a haystack. The "imbe-
Giles" frauds" "abortions," and
other kinds of nondescripts who, ac-
cording to the same authority, that
hang around the average newspaper
Office, are discouraging in number to
those who might reasonably look for
. higher grade of the genus homo in
positions of such nice responsibility.
Yet none are go prompt inspro-
claiming the dignity OF the press as
the very men who indulge in this in
credible FOLLY. 1t is hard to look for
much acceptance for an editors
views when he is ready to pronounce
those of his brother journalist "rot," >"
the dispassionate reader having
probably made up his mind that in
ability and character it is "six of one
and half a dozen of the other" be-
tween them. The press has an ele-
waited mission, and it has been the
agent of great good in the evolution
of the worlds history, but it swill
never have it's true dignity and USE
fitness recognized until its members
either feel or simulate some respect
for each other.